After tending to their injuries, both Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze looked much better.
Chai Yingying took a sip of water, pulled out the phone provided to players in the game world, and started browsing. As she scrolled, she asked, “Miss, do you think the Death Notices are sent randomly, or are they triggered under specific conditions?”
The distinction was significant.
If the notifications were random, it would imply that the game world was completely controlled by the rules of the Death Notices. Players could be dragged into a Death Notice scenario at any time, and any location could become the setting for such events.
If they were conditionally triggered, it would mean players had to visit certain locations and accidentally trigger specific rules there, which would then initiate the Death Notices.
This line of thought came about because, since they entered the game world yesterday, the Death Notices they had encountered weren’t particularly frequent. It seemed like the events were somewhat tied to the players’ actions and decisions, giving them at least some breathing room.
As long as they escaped the deadly outcomes of one notification, the next one wouldn’t appear so quickly.
Moreover, the brilliance of the Death Notices lay in their prophetic nature. They explicitly informed players of the imminent events they would face, allowing them time to mentally prepare and even strategize.
It was essentially a test of strength. If players could face the challenge head-on, they survived. If not, they perished.
The only way to avoid a Death Notice scenario was through the limited-use spirit communication cards. Once those were exhausted, players would have no choice but to confront the challenges directly.
“Both possibilities exist,” Gu Jiu mused, resting her chin on her hand. “Or perhaps it’s a combination of the two—triggered when certain conditions are met, but capable of activating randomly as well.”
Jiang Ze and Chai Yingying had considered this possibility too.
But they didn’t want to believe it. If that were the case, the players’ situation would be utterly dire—relentless challenges with no hope of clearing the game.
Chai Yingying, however, wasn’t one to admit defeat easily. She scoffed. “Who knows what’s sending these Death Notices? It’s impressive, sure, but we’ll just keep fighting.”
Gu Jiu glanced at her and smiled. “That’s the right attitude. Death Notices are essentially designed for players to confront head-on. As long as you win, you can avoid the deadly outcome.”
Jiang Ze pressed on his side, where he had suffered a serious injury. Despite applying medicine, the wound still throbbed with pain.
With a bitter smile, he said, “It’s not like we can win every time.”
Their previous ordeal, balancing on stilts, was a close call—they barely escaped with their lives. The danger was extreme. If every Death Notice were that challenging, surviving one or two might be manageable, but facing multiple would make survival uncertain.
“Then we’re doomed,” Chai Yingying replied nonchalantly.
Jiang Ze looked over at Gu Jiu and Lu Ji. Sure enough, they wore the same casual expressions, making his own tense demeanor seem foolish.
At that moment, he suddenly felt that Chai Yingying’s usual habit of calling Gu Jiu and Lu Ji “monsters” wasn’t entirely fair. Clearly, she was one herself.
As night fell and the city lights came on, another evening arrived.
The injured players, having rested for the afternoon and treated their wounds with the medicine provided by Boundless City, were almost fully recovered. They were at least in decent condition for the battles ahead.
There was bound to be another Death Notice tonight, so they had to be prepared.
Gu Jiu and Lu Ji were about to head out—it was dinnertime, and they needed food.
Tan Lan, puzzled, asked, “You’re going out?”
“To grab something to eat,” Gu Jiu replied. Seeing the incredulous expressions on the players’ faces, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you really think staying in your rooms would prevent the Death Notices from coming?”
Even though they hadn’t confirmed whether the notifications were random or conditionally triggered, it was foolish to think luck alone could keep them safe.
Tan Lan argued, “But if there’s a Death Notice, isn’t it safer here?”
“Yes,” Tong Shen analyzed. “Based on the Death Notices we’ve experienced over the past two days, they usually tie into the real-world environment. The Xiao Qiao Inn is in a remote area with few people. When the Death Notice time comes, we won’t have to deal with too many ghosts.”
Just imagining staying in the more crowded tourist areas of the ancient town and suddenly receiving a Death Notice—where all the tourists turn into ghosts—was horrifying enough.
Who would dare venture out under such conditions?
“You make a good point,” Gu Jiu nodded, not forcing them. “In that case, we’ll head out on our own.”
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze approached. “Miss, we’ll go with you. We’re hungry too.”
Although they thought Tong Shen’s analysis made sense, they also felt safer sticking with Gu Jiu and Lu Ji. It was better to follow them out.
Seeing the four insist on leaving, the other players didn’t object further, watching them depart before settling back into their rooms.
Once they left the Xiao Qiao Inn, Gu Jiu dragged her boyfriend straight toward the food street.
The ancient town had two bustling food streets, filled with delicacies from across the region. From street vendors to traditional eateries, the streets offered a variety of cuisines that even the picky Gu Jiu couldn’t resist. Some shops were decades-old establishments with authentic flavors that captured the hearts of many food lovers.
The four of them ate their way from one end of the street to the other.
After satisfying their hunger, they stood on an arched bridge, admiring the night view of the ancient town.
On either side of the bridge were low, traditional houses. Beneath the bridge flowed a quiet river, occasionally crossed by tourists. The warm, lively atmosphere of the human world was unmistakable.
Gu Jiu leaned against the bridge railing, happily enjoying a double-flavored ice cream in her hand.
Lu Ji held a bag of roasted chestnuts, skillfully peeling them for his girlfriend.
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze also carried small snack bags, lazily gazing at the unique night scenery of the ancient town. The cool breeze and picturesque view almost gave them the illusion of being tourists in the real world.
“Once we clear this level, I’m going to find an ancient town to relax,” Chai Yingying said, biting into a takoyaki.
Jiang Ze glanced at her. “Want me to go with you?”
The two were players from the same world. Because of this connection, Chai Yingying had shamelessly pulled Jiang Ze into their team.
Without hesitation, Chai Yingying refused. “No need. Seeing you would just remind me of the game world. I’d rather go with my other girlfriends.”
Jiang Ze, expressionless, retorted, “Let’s wait until you actually clear the level before planning your vacation.”
Ding-dong!
The familiar notification sound of their phones echoed. The four froze momentarily before pulling out their devices and unlocking the screens.
[Night Scenery of the Styx.]
“I got ‘Night Scenery of the Styx.’ What about you guys?” Chai Yingying was the first to ask.
“Same here,” Gu Jiu replied.
“Me too,” Jiang Ze added.
Lu Ji nodded slightly, confirming the same.
Seeing that everyone was here, Chai Yingying had already guessed that they’d received the same Death Notice but wanted to double-check.
The four turned their gazes simultaneously toward the river beneath the bridge.
The river, once bathed in the eerie glow of red lanterns, now shimmered with countless tiny points of light. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that these weren’t stars but rather countless ghosts moving through the river. Each ghost bore a flickering ghost fire at the center of its forehead. The sheer number of spirits created the illusion of a star-studded river from afar.
The four stood on the bridge, gazing at the Styx-like river below, while the ghosts in the river looked back up at them.
The words Night Scenery of the Styx clearly described the setting for this Death Notice. So when the peaceful river beneath the arched bridge suddenly transformed into the Styx, none of them were overly surprised.
The buildings along the banks of the river remained unchanged, as though covered by an invisible membrane separating the real world from this ghostly river.
The Styx extended endlessly, connecting heaven and earth, flowing from the horizon into the underworld.
The scene was breathtakingly majestic.
Suddenly, the once-peaceful ghosts in the river began to grow restless, scrambling to climb onto the shore. Their goal was clear—the humans standing on the bridge.
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze felt a chill run down their spines.
“How many ghosts are there?” Chai Yingying muttered nervously.
At that moment, a roasted chestnut shot through the air, hitting one of the ghosts climbing onto the bridge. The ghost was knocked back into the river.
Startled, the two turned to see Gu Jiu holding a handful of glossy, roasted chestnuts, flicking them at the climbing ghosts. Each one sent a ghost tumbling back into the Styx.
Witnessing this, Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze quickly grabbed whatever they had on hand to join the counterattack.
Chai Yingying hurled a takoyaki at one ghost, knocking it back into the river. She stared in disbelief. “That was… easy?”
“That’s because the strong ones haven’t shown up yet,” Gu Jiu replied casually.
Jiang Ze’s expression grew grim as he realized these ghosts were just the vanguard. The real threat was yet to come.
Sure enough, a hauntingly ethereal song drifted through the air, its melody distant and otherworldly. It seemed to come from the direction of the glowing city lights, compelling them to pause and listen.
“Hey, look over there! What is that?” Chai Yingying exclaimed.
Gu Jiu followed her gaze and saw ghostly ships slowly sailing toward them from the horizon. These ships traversed the Styx, moving from the heavens to the underworld.
As the ghost ships drew closer, the group could see dim red lanterns hanging from their masts, casting a faint, eerie glow. Ghostly figures moved about the decks, their spectral energy far stronger than the earlier spirits. These were clearly guards of the ships.
Without warning, the ghosts from the ships leaped into the air, attacking the players on the bridge.
In mere moments, the four were surrounded. The ghostly assailants were fierce and unrelenting, trying to force them off the bridge and into the Styx below.
Beneath the bridge, the river was teeming with ghosts, a churning mass of restless spirits. No one could predict what horrors awaited if they were pushed in.
The limited space on the bridge made defending themselves increasingly difficult. Seeing that the situation was becoming untenable, Gu Jiu decisively leaped forward, jumping straight into the Styx and landing on one of the ghost ships. She called out, “Get on the ships!”
Lu Ji immediately followed, jumping onto another ship.
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze broke out of the encirclement and followed suit, leaping onto the ghost ships. Once aboard, they launched a ferocious counterattack, knocking the ghosts on the ships overboard.
Fighting on the ships was far easier than on the cramped bridge. The players used the ship’s structure to their advantage, finding ways to both defend and counterattack. Even against the stronger ghosts, they were able to gain the upper hand and push them back into the river.
As they fought, Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze began to grasp Gu Jiu’s strategy—to seize control of the ghost ships.
“That’s just like the Miss,” Chai Yingying muttered, half in awe. “She’s not afraid of anything.”
Just as this thought crossed her mind, a loud boom echoed across the river. One of the ships overturned, sending its ghosts tumbling into the Styx like dumplings into a boiling pot. Splash, splash, splash—the sound of bodies hitting the water was relentless.
The two were stunned and turned to look, only to see Lu Ji standing tall on another ship, holding a black sword in his hand.
The night wind swept through his long hair and made his robes billow. Standing amidst the boundless darkness, he exuded an overwhelming presence. The black sword in his hand was wreathed in dark flames, and his aura was so commanding that he seemed like a god of death.
“Lu Ji, what are you doing?” Chai Yingying shouted.
Lu Ji didn’t respond. His gaze was fixed on the lower reaches of the Styx, the path leading to the underworld. In the next instant, he leaped forward and sped off.
The two quickly tried to follow, leaping from ship to ship on the Styx. However, Lu Ji moved with astonishing speed, while they had to fend off the ghosts attacking along the way. It didn’t take long before he disappeared from their sight.
“What’s wrong with her?” Jiang Ze felt a gnawing sense of unease.
Chai Yingying replied, “It seems like the Miss is missing. She’s probably going to find her.”
Though her words tried to make sense of the situation, a growing dread filled her heart. It felt as though something had spiraled out of control after Gu Jiu jumped onto the ship.